becomes the Gospel as becomes this great thing in the Gospel that is the chief thing indeed that the Gosspel holds forth in every line of it and discovers his eternal love towards them in particular in the Son of his love Christ Jesus in whom he is well pleased Quest You will say What is it that becomes this thing in the Gospel Ans Surely love answerable love that we should return love for love he that dwels in God dwels in love God Himself is love Reade but the first Epistle of that beloved Disciple John what abundance of love is there made known of God every letter thereof is a character of love and what commendations of love in heavenly expressions But you reade no such thing in the Scripture before the Gospel was revealed in that cleerness as it was then now nothing but Love love and how it called for love Then there must be this conversation Love to God as God to us And that must be real as Gods love in Christ was Quest How did God manifest his love Answ A Conversation becoming the Gospel must be a manifestation of our love in some proportionable way So God loved the world as He gave His only Son that is as if he should have said thus God so loved the world so dearly as that which was the dearest thing unto God he gave for a testimonie of his love to man-kind The dearest thing What 's that His Son If God should have said That I might testifie my love to mankind as I have made one world for them I will make ten thousand more yea I will make so many worlds as every one of the children of men shall have a world to possess you would think this were very much Oh this were nothing in comparison of that expression So God loved the world as He gave His Son the Son of God is infinitly dearer to God than ten thousand thousand millions of worlds are Now a conversation that becomes the revelatio of such love must needs be this Whatsoever then is dearest to our souls let that be given up to God As it was a testimony of the love of Abraham to God Hereby I know thou lovest me Why Because he gave up his Isaac to God he would not spare his only Son whom he loved so God shewed his love to us we may say Lord hereby we know thou lovest us that thou hast given thine Isaac thine only Son for us and hereby Lord shal men and Angels know that we love thee that whatsoever is dear to our souls thou shalt have it we will offer it up to thee in way of sacrifice this is a conversation that becomes the Gospel So that when God cals for anything never think it much Oh this is hard and costly and dear to me and how shall I part with this Is this becoming the Gospel to stand with God for any thing for thy love must be somewhat sutable to Gods His love was such as he gave the dearest to thee and thy love therefore if it runs paralel with his must give the dearest to him And then if we be acted by love for that 's the conversation that becomes the Gospel to be acted in all that we do with love to God to be in a flame of love continually as the Salamander they say doth alwaies live in the fire so should we do in the fire of love not in the fire of contention But now Love hath no need of any argument to do any thing but only this this thing will be pleasing unto him that I do tender it unto it will please my Father that 's argument enough for Love that if I do such a thing it will please my beloved therefore never stand arguing thus Such a thing is a duty but is it necessity Must I do it Cannot a man be saved unless he do it Be all damn'd that do not this These are arguments from base sordid spirits but here 's enough for love here 's a thing would please God if we did thus we should please God better than in not doing it Therefore that place that you had before in the first of the Colossians Walk worthy of the Lord to all pleasing let the heart presently spring upon this There 's such a thing propounded out of the Word at such a time and I heard it would be well pleasing to God if I did this If we put but this upon you you that do not set up the worship of God in your families Do not you think that it would please God better to set up his Worship in your families than not Is there no Conversation that your consciences tell you would please God better than that Conversation which you live in Would it not be more pleasing to God ask but your conscience now if your hearts were acted by love you would presently fall upon that which your consciences tel you would be more pleasing to God And then Love This is a maxim of Love Love never knows when it hath done enough it knows no such thing as too much for men to say What need we be so strict as to walk circumspectly what need we do so much why must we be so holy This is a base kind of reasoning Is this as becomes the Gospel If thou wert acted by Love then thou wouldst never think that thou hadst done enough for God Oh thou wouldst rather think had I ten thousand thousand times more strength than I have Lord thou art worthy of it all what soever I have whatsoever I am whatsoever I can do thou art worthy of it all never stand arguing thus what need so much is the thing a good thing love never knows any such thing as too much We know love It cannot bear with dishonor done unto those that we do love if any wrong any one that we love if our hearts be inflam'd with love we know not how to bear it such strike us in the apple of our eye Oh that 's a Conversation that becomes the Gospel that when we see the Name of God dishonored our hearts rise more against any thing that is done against God than it doth against any thing that is done against our selves we are inflam'd for God when we see any thing done that is a dishonour to the Name of God And love we know it will make us mourn and melt for any offence to those that are beloved of us So that 's a Conversation that becomes the Gospel when we manifest melting hearts and mourning spirits Love makes us delight in the presence of those that we do love so that 's a Conversation that becomes the Gospel when we manifest that there is nothing in the world that we delight in more than to be in the presence of our Beloved Oh to be alwaies with God in the arms of Christ it is our Heaven on Earth And then a Conversation that becomes this Gospel It is to be of a loving disposition towards
those that have any reference unto God Reade over the Epistles where so much of the Gospel is revealed for indeed there 's the chief of the Gospel though we call those four Evangelists the Gospel because they are the story of Christs coming into the world and his Actions yet there is more of the Doctrine of the Gospel in the Epistles for the time of the law was not fully expired till the destruction of the Temple which was after Christs death and therefore though the Gospel began to shine forth yet till after the time of the destruction of the Temple there was not so much of the Gospel and therefore reade I say the Epistle and you shall find there is no one particular duty that the Gospel so calls for from men besides faith in Jesus Christ as it doth love in Christians one towards another yea love to all if you reade the Epistles of Paul divers places in the Romans and in the Ephesians and Philippians and Colossians continually still they are beating upon love and especially in the Epistles of John that was the beloved Disciple and lay in the bosom of Christ nothing so much as love because this indeed is the Conversation that becomes the Gospel for the main thing in the Gospel it is the declaring of the love of God and therefore Christians that would live as becomes the Gospel they must live so as acted by love And so in the story of the Acts presently as soon as you reade of any that the Gospel did prevail withal they had one heart and one mind Oh how did they cleave one to another their hearts were one And so we find in the stories of the Primitive times I remember Tertullian saith that that was the way that the Heathens and persecutors did use to find out who were Christians for the Christians did meet at nights for fear of danger did as wisely as they could to keep themselves from their persecutors but they found this by experience that when they were converted to Christian Religion then there was another kind of spirit in them that did act them and especially a spirit of love one to another there was another kind of love of Christians one towards another then than of any other society of man kind the Heathens saw this and wondred at it and it was by this that they found out who were Christians if they saw any people beginning to have a spirit of love more than before they would think surely these have heard of this Christian Religion and they begin to be Christian this was the glory of Christian Religion in those times that there was such intire love and union of hearts amongst them The Apostle John would have such love as that Christians should be willing to die one for another and they did so in the primitive times Oh this were becoming the Gospel indeed But Oh how far how far are we from such a Conversation in such times as we live in now as if so be that the Gospel were gone from us we speak of the Gospel as if it were reveal'd more now than ever and much concerning free grace in the Gospel but look upon the Conversations of men they were never more unsutable to the Gospel and in this particular in respect of the sincere love in the hearts of Christians My brethren malitious dispositions are extreamly unbecoming the Gospel hateful and malitious dispositions What doth a beastly brutish savigeness do the fierceness of beasts do in the breast of a Christian Oh it is infinitely unbeseeming a Christian to have an unloving disposition a hateful disposition to be hating one another and to have a spirit of opposition and contradiction and frowardness one against another there is nothing more unbeseeming the Gospel of Jesus Christ than this I remember I have read even of one of the Heathen Emperors that being convinced somewhat about Christ and hearing much of him saw two that professed the name of Christians to fall out bitterly one with another which as soon as he perceived he cals them to him and gives a straight command that they should never afterward presume to call themselves by the name of Christians No saith he you do not do according to your Master that you profess your life is unsutable to your Master even one that was but a Heathen himself speak this Oh if we profess our selves Christians let our Conversations be as becomes the Gospel in point of love and make that to be the argument of love the love of God revealed in the Gospel there are a great many arguments of love from humane society from reason that men that live together they should love one another as men and that there comes a great deal of hurt from frowardness and bitterness and that it is against the rules of society and that men cannot live quietly except there be some way of sodering by love these arguments are somewhat and yet these would be among Heathens Oh but now those that profess the Gospel of Christ have one argument that is infinitely beyond all arguments that can be imagined and that is in John 3. 16. before named So God loved the world loved the world that he gave his only begotten We hear how the love of God that was in the heart of God from all eternity is brought forth and revealed in the Gospel Oh let this inflame our hearts with love Oh that there might be never a Christian that professes the Name of Christ but that it might appear in him that his heart is sweetened with love and that he doth live as it were in the very element of love and acted by love in all that he doth O this would beautifie your Christian profession more than all your talking of this and the other things Oh that it were come again that this becoming Conversation of Christians were come again into the world I remember I have heard a speech of Dr. Whittacre rebuking the Conversation of the Scholers in Cambridg he had this speech Surely saith he this that we preach is not the Gospel or otherwise we are no Gospelers because our Conversation is so different from the Gospel and so we may say of this one particular in respect of love either it is but a fansie that we hear so much of the love of God in Jesus Christ in the Gospel or otherwise we are no Gospelers we are no true Professors of the Gospel whatever profession we make of the Gospel yet except there doth appear divine love to act us in all that we do God will not own us for Gospelers for certainly it is a main scope that God hath in the revealing the Gospel to sweeten the hearts of men with love either deny the profession or walk more lovingly than thou hast done towards those that make the same profession yea thou shouldest walk lovingly towards thy enemies for the Gospel reveals much of Gods goodness even towards the whol world
Christians in the time of the Gospel that are eminent should live as Angels Angelical lives and the weakest of all should be as David Indeed considering what we have revealed in the Gospel we should be ashamed that our hearts and lives should come short in spiritualness and heavenliness of any that lived in the times of the Law see in the 119. Psalm how you find Davids heart taken and ravished with the Word of God Oh how sweet was the Law of God to him sweeter than the honey and the honey comb He doth not mean there the Law in opposition to the Gospel but the whol Word of God Now you should consider this what part of Gods Word had David there he had not many of the Prophesies he had but the Books of Moses and some other Books the Book of Job was then and some of the Chronicles some part of the Kings and the Book of Judges but most part of the Kings he could not have for he was the second King therefore what little part of the Word of God was written at that time and yet how sweet was the Word to him as sweet as the honey and the honey comb and how he did delight in it above Gold and Silver And then for the Ordinances of God O how was he taken with them though in comparison of ours they were but carnal In the 84. Psalm he did envy the very birds that were in the Temple of God How aimable are thy Courts O Lord saith he now do but compare those Scriptures he had with these that we have The five Books of Moses and Joshua and Judges and Job which were the chief Scriptures then extant and do but compare them with the History of the Gospel in particular the Sermons of Christ from the fifth Chapter of Matthew to the eighth So those remarkable places from the fourteenth to the eighteenth of John and so on O what heavenly things are there let down amongst us What Heavenly truths we have study and reade over Pauls Epistles which are several holy Letters sent from Christ to His Saints here on earth Oh what spiritual transcendant truths What great mysteries and depths of God are opened and revealed there beyond what there is in Genesis or Exodus or Leviticus or Numbers c. And yet the Word of God was dearer to him than al the world and he profest he did meditate in it day and night Now we have that word in two Testaments that doth reveal abundance more of God in Christ than ever he had and therefore our Conversations should rise higher in holiness than the Converstions of those that were under the Law we should endeavor to be more exemplary in holy walking than they were And thus much for the second head Now for the third which is the chief of all If you would have your Conversations to be such as becomes the Gospel it must be suitable to what the Gospel holds foâ—â—h unto you Now this is a greâ—t point and it will serve for two ends First To hold forth unto you the principal things in the Gospel Secondly To shew you how you should sute your Conversation to those things that are in the Gospel And we shall abide upon this head somewhat long The first and principal thing in the Gospel It is the holding forth unto us the infinite love of God to man-kind this is the very end of the Gospel that God might declare what an infinite love he hath unto the children of men yea unto men rather than unto Angels you know that Scripture in John 3. â—6 So God loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever beleeveth in him should not perish but have everlasting life And indeed that one verse hath more of God in it than all Creatures in Heaven Earth the whol frame of Heaven and Earth hath not so much of God in them as that one verse hath So God loved the world that he sent forth his only begotten Son that whosoever beleeveth in him should not perish but have everlasting life It is as if God should say when he comes to reveal the Gospel I will have a way wherein it shall appear to men and Angels for ever what the greatness of my love is unto these poor creatures unto the children of men And to that end I send my Son the second Person in Trinity to take their natures upon him to come to be their Mediator there will I manifest what my love is that shall be the great fruit of love It is the similitude of a learned Divine saith he the love of God in all other things in comparision of the love of God in Christ reveal'd in the Gosspel it is a little spark of fire in comparison of the heat in a furnace when a furnace is heated red hot it may be a few sparks of fire fly out but what is one of those sparks of fire that fly out in comparison of al the heat that there is in the furnace so saith he all the fruits of the love of God to man-kind in all the works that ever God did do are but as that one spark only excepting this of Christ and the love of God unto mankind in Christ is as it were the heat of the furnace there 's burning love indeed the love of God in Christ this is the great scope of the Gospel the great aim of God the great design that God had in the Gospel to make known the infinitness of His love unto the children of men Now then if so be that God in the Gospel doth reveal what there was in His heart from all eternity to man-kind for so it is that 's the scope of the Gospel there was in the heart of God infinite love burning toward man-kind God from eternity saw man-kind before him and there was that strong inclination of his heart towards them in love as did even burn in his heart Now in time God reveals this in the Gospel in the Doctrine thereof He doth open His heart to the children of men when ever the Gospel comes to be preached in any place God doth look upon that place and hath these kind of workings in Himself Well that love of Mine that I have had burning in my Bosom from all eternity towards these poor creatures now it shal be opened now it shal be revealed just as it was with Joseph that had his heart so warm in love unto his Brethren that though he kept it in a while he could not keep it in long but at length it breaks out as fire his bowels yerned towards his Brethren and he weeps tears of love over their necks So in the Gospel of Christ look upon God towards poor creatures as Joseph towards his Brethren and God as it were keeping in his heart towards them for a long time but now when the Gospel comes among them God opens his very heart to them now therefore there must be a Conversation that
in general so that there should be love even towards all from the knowledge of the Gospel Oh that it might be said of men and women that were of rugged harsh and malitious dispositions before yet since it pleased God that they came to the Ministry of the Gospel and heard the Truths of the Gospel opened to them Oh since that time their hearts have been altered and changed Oh of what sweet dispositions they are of now the husband towards the wife and the wife towards the husband in a family there was nothing but harshness and brawling but now nothing but sweetness and love and this from the knowledg of the love of God in Jesus Christ that love will be a Divine grace indeed that 's raised in the hearts of men and acted from this principle of the knowledg of the love of God in Jesus Christ This is the first thing and the great thing that is held forth in the Gospel namely the love of God to man-kind I 'le but name one or two things more now and the next is this The infinite willingness of God to be at peace and to be reconcil'd unto those who have offended him yea to his enemies what is the scope of the Gospel the eternal love of God to man-kind in Christ That 's the first thing Then the second thing is the infinite willingness that there is in God to be at peace to be reconciled to such as have offended him this is held forth in the Gospel the Gospel is the Ministry of reconciliation now what Conversation should be in us becoming this in the Gospel that is held forth And then the infinite mercy of God in the Gospel in delivering poor creatures out of a depth of misery that 's a main thing in the Gospel and many other particulars as the infinite hatred that God hath against sin and the great price paid for souls that 's held forth in the Gospel too with divers other things that might be spoken of But I beseech you consider of the point that we are about namely to shew you what the Gospel holds forth to us and then what Conversation becomes all these things and is sutable to them If God would but be pleased to go along even with this one point that we are now upon we hope it may lighten the Conversation of Christians and withal may commend this word of grace to those that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death and may if God will say Amen unto it in some measure recover the dishonor that hath been cast upon the Gospel of Christ in these latter times by that loose and uneven walking amongst professors themselves which hath very much darkned the glory of this marvellous great light Which should be a lamp unto their feet and a light unto their paths Oh that Jesus Christ from whose hand and heart this Gospel came would now preach it home to every heart of us that the truths thereof may be turned into grace spirit and life in the midst of us so that our lives and Conversations may be a daily practical sermon of holiness in particular That we love one another as becomes the Gospels SERMON IV. PHIL. 1. 27. Only let your Conversation be as becomes the Gospel of Christ WEE closed with this the last day that we should love one another This holds forth unto us not only the love of God the Father but the infinit love of Jesus Christ the second Person in Trinity and this cals for love one to another And I 'le hint unto you one or two Scriptures more about this there is union of Christian hearts in one bend of love No duty more inculcated in the new Testament next unto Faith that great engin of the Covenant of grace than Love and love one unto another and upon the consideration of the infinit love of God and of Jesus Christ unto us Ephesi 3. 19. compared with Ephesians 4. 1. And to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge that ye might be filled with all fulness of God Then in the beginning of the 4. Chapter I therefore here 's an inference with the use of it the prisoner of the Lord beseech you That you walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called You are called to Christ to the Gospel and there you have the love of Christ made known How shal they walk worthy of this vocation with all lowliness and meekness with long-suffering forbearing one another in love Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace He prayed before that they might know the love of Christ therefore upon that he doth exhort them and builds his exhortation or rather his beseeching that they would with all lowliness meekness and long-suffering forbear one another in love for you are called to the profession of the Gospel and there you have the love of the Father and of Christ set forth unto you now would you walk worthy of this calling then let there be much meekness and forbearing one another in love In Ephes 5. 2. And walk in love as Christ also hath loved us and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour Walk in love as Christ hath loved us that is sutable as if the Apostle should say would you walk sutable to the Gospel of Christ that you profess Walk in love then as Christ hath loved us this is a principal thing In the Gospel you come to know the love of Christ otherwise than other men do know it therefore walk in love Walk in love as Christ hath loved us make the love of Christ to be a pattern for your love there is nothing as I told you that is more unbeseeming the Gospel of Christ than a hateful malitious rugged dog star disposition than for Christians to be tearing one another falling out one with another as those beasts at Ephesus that Paul complains of Oh this is infinitely unbeseeming the Gospel of Christ Do you know what the love of God means in Jesus Christ are you sensible of the love of Christ Oh this love should sweeten your hearts that there should be no more bitterness in you but you should live in this Element of love Saith an Ancient what doth beastly fierceness and cruelty and savigeness do in the breast of a Christian it is unbeseeming the name of a Christian Therefore let your Conversation be as becometh the Gospel of Christ that holds forth love Oh let there be much love in you be you acted by love in all your waies so that they that run may reade this new Commandment which Christ left unto his followers That they love one another in deed and in truth Secondly The Gospel of Christ it holds forth this The infinit willingness of God to be at peace with man-kind to be reconciled unto man unto those who have offended him yea to those who are enemies unto him This is the
to me a sinner but they think not of a way of Gods shewing mercy so as yet he may have the glory of infinite justice God seals the forgivenes of sin in the Court of Justice as well as in the Court of Mercy few think of this and that 's the reason why people are ready many times to despair because a great while they having but slight thoughts of God they hope Christ will be merciful to them yet in time of temptation when the Devil comes and doth set before them the dreadfulness of Gods justice that God is a most just God as well as merciful this makes their hearts to sink like a stone within their breasts But now the soul that sees the way of God in the Gospel sees that God is infinitly set upon mercy and likewise sees a way how Gods infinit justice may be satisfied and seeing both these this is a mighty help to faith now let there come never so many temptations when the soul is catching hold upon Gods mercy I but saith temptation God is a just God as well as merciful and dost not thou presume No saith the soul the way of mercy that my soul rests upon I see there is in it a way of satisfaction to infinite justice as well as a way for the manifestation of mercy and therefore though God be a righteous God and a just God yet here I see a way for my soul to be sav'd yet for Divine Justice to have no wrong neither and therefore I can beleeve and venture my soul upon this It 's impossible for a sinner to venture his soul upon any way of mercy if it comes to understand with what a God it hath to deal except it comes to know God in Jesus Christ in that way wherein infinit justice is satisfied to the utmost farthing which is declared in the Gospel Now what Conversation is sutable to this Hence let there be that Conversation in you that may manifest that you do not turn the grace of God into wantonness Oh a wanton Conversation is infinitly unbeseeming the Gospel Oh there is infinite mercy and free grace treasured up here and what wilt thou be wanton and vain and loose therefore there is infinite grace but what way doth God take to manifest infinite grace Is it not in a way wherein the dreadfullest Justice of God appears too Is not the grace of God let out to you through the blood of his Son wherein the most dreadful fruit of Gods justice is manifested that ever was since the beginning of the world or ever shall be manifested to the end of the world if so be thou shouldest see all the damned in Hell the chambers of death unlocked under the wrath of God there flaming out in fire and brimstone it would not be such a dreadful sight as to see Jesus Christ made an offering for sin and lying under the vials of the wrath of his Father falling down upon the ground grovelling and sweating out great drops of water and blood and crying out upon the Cross My God my God why hast thou forsaken me This is the way of the purchase of thy mercy therefore there is infinit justice together with infinite mercy Oh be not wanton then do not turn the grace of God into wantonness but rejoyce in Gods mercy yet rejoyce with trembling and with fear and reverence of the Name of God When thou speakest of the free grace of God and when thou comest to beleeve in the free grace of God in the Gospel thou maiest come cheerfully and boldly I but come with reverence and holy humble fear I do not mean despairing fear nor servile slavish fear but with awful reverence of the glory of God that doth appear in the Lord Jesus Christ I need not send you to the Law to cause fear in your hearts there is enough in the Gospel to cause your souls to tremble before God as well as to beleeve in God Even our God is a consuming fire Oh what was he to Jesus Christ I need go no further to lift up God to make him an object of my fear but to look upon him in his dealings with his Son and therefore those Christians that walk loosly and altogether upon slight thoughts of mercy without any fear to ballast their hearts Oh certainly their Conversations are not Gospel Conversations for if thou didst understand the way of Gods mercy in the Gospel thou wouldest see that that should fill thy heart with fear and reverence all the daies of thy life And as to take heed of wantonness so to reverence Gods Justice even the dreadfulness of it so as the Gospel holds forth to think that God would only have you to have your thoughts about his mercy and not to have your hearts to give glory to his justice it is certainly a vain conceit and I fear it will cause the Gospel to vanish into little in the hearts of men when men apprehend the Gospel so as not to apprehend the dreadfulness of his justice as if so be that God would not have the glory of his justice Christ hath satisfied that Hath Christ satisfied that consider what thou saiest when thou saiest so do but consider how much of the glory of Gods justice doth appear in what Christ hath done and suffered I desire to hold forth no further the glory of justice than by holding forth Jesus Christ to thee Doest not thou think that God would have thee to sanctifie in thy heart and life all the Attributes of God that doth appear in Jesus Christ Now the glory of justice doth appear as much in Christ as the glory of mercy doth then thou that doest profess the Gospel thou must sanctifie this Attribute of God as well as the other thou sanctifiest them both in honoring Gods justice I do not say that thou shouldest have a despairing heart nay it will keep thee from despairing or that thou shouldest have a servile spirit but that thou shouldest sanctifie it with reverence And another thing that is very considerable What is God so set upon the glory of his Justice in the Gospel Oh labour you to be just in all your Conversations you see how God prizes justice that he will rather have his Son die and be made a curse than justice should not have honor Oh take heed of injustice the sin of injustice is a sin unbeseeming the Gospel and here 's an argument against injustice a stronger than I know any in all the Book of God or can be imagined by men and Angels which is this That in the Gospel I find that God hath His heart so set upon justice that rather than justice shall not be satisfied he will not spare his Son one farthing as the Scripture saith He spared not his own Son but His Son must pay to the uttermost His Son must bear his very wrath and all that God may shew his infinite love to justice Oh then let Christians love justice
of this world John 8. 23. Are all the good things that the Father hath to cōmunicate of this world and not Christ Himself of this world Let me tell you Christ is the greatest gift that ever was given or possibly could be received and yet Christ is not of this world therefore there is somwhat else besides the things of this world that God hath for some of the children of men that He intends good unto Ninthly The Saints are said not to be of this world Joh. 15. 19. 17. 14. If they be not of this world then their happiness is not here God hath other happiness for them than that which is here Tenthly The Scripture makes it to be a sign of a child of wrath that he walks according to the course of this world in 2 Joh. 2. this is enough to describe a child of wrath Eleventhly It 's made a sign of one that is an enemy to God and that 's hateful before God that is a lover of this world Jam. 4. 4. And 1 Joh. 2. 15. He that loves the world the love of the Father is not in him and the friendship of the world is enmity to God saith the Holy Ghost in those two Scriptures If so be that in the world there were the special things that God hath to communicate to the Children of men certainly then God would have his people to love the world He would say Love these things for these are the fruits of my favor and love these are part of the riches that I have to communicate to those that I intend good to and therefore delight in these expatiate your heart in these Oh me saith the holy Ghost whosoever loves the world is an enemy to God And if the love of the world be in you the love of the Father is not in you surely then here are not the things that God intends for the children of men Twelfthly The world is that that shall be condemned 1 Cor. 11. 32. That ye may not be condemned with the world that notes that God intends to condemn this whol world all these things are under the sentence of death and all the men of the world are condemned before God and therefore these are not the things that men should so much look after to make them happy Thirteenthly Take all the world together the Scripture speaks by way of supposition That a man may gain the whol world and yet his soul be lost for ever If one man could get all the world in to his possession and thereby lose his soul it would be an ill bargain the world then hath no such excellency in it as we should place our happiness in it God hath something else for His people than these things that are at the best under Moon-vanities Fourteenthly If Christs Kingdom is not of this world then certainly those that are of the world are not of His Kingdom for these two cannot stand together that Christs Kingdom should not be of this world and yet that these that are of the world should be of his Kingdom if such as are of the world are none of his kingdom then certainly a worldly man or woman is not of the kingdom of Christ Christ owns them not as under His kingdom they are Vagabonds and Runnagates not under the protection of Jesus Christ not partakers of any priviledg of Jesus Christ Quest You will say to me How should one know when a man is a man of this world The Scripture makes a plain distinction of some that are of this world and some not the best of all you will say they have hearts worldly enough and they desire to have the comforts of this world as well as others well though there are some yet we had need look to our selves to examine whether we be of the world yea or no for there lies thus much upon it that if we be of the world we are not of the kingdom of Christ now I would give you but these three notes of a man of the world Answ The first is this One that is a man of the world is such an one as could be content if God would let him live here in this world and enjoy what he doth he would be content for to live here for ever and could be satisfied though he never enjoyed any thing from God but what he hath received here if he might alwaies bold it Here 's an evident Argument of a man of the world I mean such a man as hath health of body in this world he hath for outwards as much as the world can afford any man that for the properness of his body his comliness his health he hath as much as the world can give he hath convenient dwelling with all accommodations belonging thereunto and he hath the comings in of the world as much as his heart can desire he hath his wife and children about him in which he hath a great deal of delight and content now I would but put it to this man What sayest thou would not this satisfie thy heart if thou mightest alwaies be here alwaies have thy house and gardens and walks and these comings in that thou hast now that thou mightest fare deliciously every day and have the sweet and fat of the world would it not satisfie thy soul though God should never give thee any thing else but this I beseech you in your own thoughts answer even to God this question and seriously look into your hearts for you may know very much of your hearts upon the answer to this question you may come to know what is like to become of you for ever even from the answer that your consciences would give to this question That man or woman whose conscience tels them that this would satisfie then we may conclude that surely that man or woman is of this world because the things of this world would be enough for his portion But now take a man or woman that is chosen out of this world that is of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ unto whom the Lord hath made known the things of another world and the excellencies of Jesus Christ and such a one though it had ten thousand times more than it hath though it had what possibly can be imagined it would say Lord it 's true I am unworthy of the least crum of bread that I eat or of the least drop of water but yet it is not all the world nor ten thousand worlds can satisfie my soul for the portion of it It is nothing but thy self the unsearchable riches in Jesus Christ those blessed things that thou hast revealed in that glorious kingdom of thy Son it 's only that that can satisfie my soul for the portion of it and if thou shouldest say well thou shalt have all the things in this world for thy portion and enjoy them for ever I should account my self in a miserable condition for thou hast revealed better and higher things to my
2. may prove to be your portion it is spoken of Doeg This is the man saith the Psalmist that did not make God his trust but trusted in his great riches this is the man So you may be pointed out one day This is the man Doeg was a great Courtier and because he was an Officer of King Sauls and because he had his favour he trusted in the favour of the King and in his riches and what did he care for David Yea by the Text it appears he was one that made some shew of Religion too in the 1 of Sam. 21. 7. He was detained before the Lord Tremelius thinks either out of some Religious vow or to keep the Sabbath or somewhat concerning the Law he was detained before the Lord and yet he was a vile Malignant against David and all because he trusted in the great countenance he had at Court Now this is the man that made not God his trust but that trusted in his great riches the Lord forbid this Scripture should be made true of any of you I leave this Text with you that are rich men take heed you trust not in your great riches I leave this Text with you that are in places of dignity and honor take heed you have not your portion in this world I leave this Text to Voluptuous men given up to pleasures take heed you hear not one day this Son remember in thy life-time thou hadst thy pleasure I leave this with those that dare not trust God for a portion to come And above all I leave this with all Hypocrites let them take heed it be not said to them Here is your reward Consider what hath been said and the Lord give you understanding in all things FINIS THE ALPHABETICAL TABLE A ABuse see Body Adam First Adam what he was and what he should have been had he stood Page 43 The state of Adam compared with the state of the Saints 44 Admiration Admiration of Saints and Angels 90 Adrian Adrian the Pope his wofull death 339 Alexanders rebuke 349 Angels Angels are the Saints keepers 155 Angels see Love Honor Anger Anger must be avoided 38 Arbitrary Arbitrary Government and the differences of it 324 Antichrist Antichrists great design 49 Argument see Gospel B Beginning Beginings of sin to be feared 83 Beleevers Beleevers draw strength from Christ 45 Beleevers should manifest Christ in their actions Ibid Beleevers cannot fall away 46 Beleevers are not without mixture of evil ib. Beleevers under the Law were as children under age 100 Beleevers under the Gospel are children of full age ib Beleevers must not be of earthly hearts and why 270 Beleeve The manner how to beleeve 76 Bishops see Prelats Blood The Blood of Christ takes us off from vain conversations 98 Body The body of sin must be mortified 39 The body of sin is unknown to Nature 40 Abuse not your bodies and why 92 Boldness see Saints Boniface Boniface his answer 288 Bowels Bowels of mercy beseem the Gospel 71 Branch see Christ C Canaan The Land of Canaan a type of Heaven 47 Carelesness see Profession Christians Carnal Carnal worship opposeth the soul of godliness 49 Carnal see Weapons Heart Ceremonies Ceremonies condemned and why 97 Chastisement Chastisements for sin what they are 148 Children see Beleevers Christ Christs love known in the Gospel 69 Christ is the mercy of all mercies 70 Christs kept the Law and why 78 Christs self denial 93 Christ is the Root and we are the Branches 103 Christs is a great King 116 Christ God-man governs all things and why 136 Christs Rule 139 Christs Law ibid See Dependance Subjects and Peace Christians Christians must be carefull of their families 19 Christians should eye those whose Conversations are above them 29 Christians subject to grow careless by degrees 31 Church Church of God as a City 3 Circumvent We must not circumvent one another 275 Citizen A Citizen's wretch'd speech 320 Civil Civil mens worship of God 35 Companions see Tribulation Compulsion see Persecution Conscience Liberty of Conscience the way to procure it 22 Contentment Motives to contentment 349 Conversation The meaning of this word CONVERSATION 3 What Conversation becomes the Gospel 5 Our Conversation must be looked to after conversion 7 Conversation becoming the Gospel 57 How our Conversation should be manifested 350 What Conversation becomes the Gospel 115 See Image Wanton Cook Cook his opinion of the Martyrs 308 Covetousness Covetousness unbeseeming a Saint 270 Customs Old Customs an hindrance to spiritual worship 100 D Daies Difference between daies of fasting and thanksgiving and holy daies 99 See Observing Danger see Help Deceivers Self Deceivers how 13 Dependance No dependance between the Kingdom of Christ and this world 284 Design see Gospel Despair The reason of despair 75 Despise Despise not the meanest of men 92 Difference Difference which the Gospel makes 122 Difference betwen Saints and worldly men 312 Divisions Divisions whence they come 105 Duty see Time Dying Dying one for another becomes the Gospel 58 E Elevation Elevation of spirit upon what ground 91 Enmity How enmity against God is kept up 15 Epistle The Saints should be the Epistles of Christ 113 Eternal life Little mention of Eternal life in the Old Testament 110 Excellency The Excellency of a Saints portion wherein it consists 354 Eyes The eyes of all are upon Professors 23 What the eyes of a Christian should be set upon 354 F Faith Faith acts upon Christ as a King aswell as a Savior 135 Necessity of living by faith 285 Fleshly-lusts Fleshly lusts unsutable to the Gospel 102 G Gentils see Partition German The speech of a German Divine 137 God Gods willingnesse to be at peace with man 63 See Hatred Love Glory People Mercy God is full of goodness 64 How the utmost of Gods glory is manifested 90 Godly Why godly men are willing to live 2 Gospel What the Gospel is 3 Gospel-Conversation what it is 38 Gospel Obedience proceeds from love 40 Difference between the Law of Adam and the Gospel 41 Those that live under the Gospel must live in an higher way of holiness than those that lived under the Law 42 The great Design of the Gospel 54 The Gospel cals for love 58 Gospel-arguments are the strongest arguments 69 Difference between the Gospel the light of Nature 73 See Law Mallice Christ Conversation Dying Bowels Wanton Worship Beleevers Power Government see Arbitrary Great ones see Religion H Hard-hearted see Monster Hatred Gods hatred of sin how to know it 81 Heart Carnal hearts will not trust God 351 Help Helps against the danger of the times 24 Holy Ghost The Holy Ghost dwells in our bodies 90 Honor How the honor of Religion is kept up 15 More honor put upon Men than upon Angels 89 I Jewes The error of the Jews about Christs Kingdom 117 See Partition Image How man holds out the Image of God Injustice A remedy against Injustice 77 Institution Whereon institution of Worship depends
the world 157 2 Because he delights to exercise the graces of his Saints ib. 3 That his power and wisdom may appear the more glorious 158 Application Use 1 There is a happiness beyond the things of this world 159 Their world called 1 An evil world 160 2 The Devil is called the god of it ibid 3 The pomp of it is not of the Father ibid 4 Its glory is but darkness ibid 5 It knows not God 161 6 It lies in wickedness ibid PSALM 17. 14. TEXT Opened 295 Doctrine There are men to whom God gives some outward good for a while and this is all they are like to have 298 Arguments of Gods love to Saul 1 He was chosen by God Himself c. 300 Explication 1 Why God deals out something to wicked men 304 1 They are His Creatures ib 2 Their time of life is Gods patience ibid 3 It is their day 305 4 They do something for God here ibid 5 To shew them what little good is in this world 306 6 He hath time enough to manifest his justice upon them hereafter 307 7 He shews what great things He hath reserved for His Children 308 8 God fetcheth glory from hence ibid 1 To harden their heart 309 2 To chasten his own people ibid 9 Because he would have no argument of love or hatred drawn from outward things ibid 2 Here is all they are like to have 310 1 Because their names are not in the book of life ibid 2 They are vile in the eyes of God ibid 3 Because they chuse it themselves 311 4 They are sutable to them 313 5 They abuse the portion they have 314 6 They have no interest in Jesus Christ ibid 7 They are no sons 316 8 The manifestation of Gods patience is ended ibid 9 They must have imediately to deal with God 317 3 Corrollaries flowing from hence 1. This is the reason why worldly men are so cunning in things of this world 318 2 This is the reason why so many great ones regard Religion so little 319 3 This is the reason of the stir that is in the world to maintain this their Portion 328 4 What kind of Portion this is that the men of the world have 1 What poor things they are 329 1 They are but imaginary ibid 2 Of a low nature 330 3 But a poor pittance 331 4 It will vanish 332 5 It will stand with the hatred of God 333 2 The tenure by which thou boldest them 335 Opened in 4. things ibid 3 There is a great deal of mixture in what you have 336 1 Of trouble ibid 2 Of curse ibid 4 What Portion thou losest by it 337 1 It is fit for the Spouse of Christ ibid 2 Sutable to an Heir of Heaven ibid 3 It is the height of happiness 338 4 It is Gods great design in making Heaven and Earth ibid 5 It requires the infinite power of God to support a creature in it ibid 6 It remains to eternity ib 5 What is like to be thy end ib 1 Perplexity of spirit when death comes 339 2 You 'l be called to account for all 340 3 A dreadful Portion at the day of Judgment ib. 5 Who the man is that hath his Portion in this world 1 God gives him nothing but what belongs to this life 341 2 By the working of your hearts about your Portion 342 1 Whether your hearts terminate in what you enjoy ibid 2 Whether they go out in full strength to them 343 3 How the loss of them take thy heart ibid 4 Whether they only be sutable to thy heart 344 5 What thou accountest thy cheefest good ibid 6 What you strive to make most sure 346 7 What thou most admirest men for ibid 8 What thou art careful to lay up for thy children ib. 9 Examine thy services in 3 Particulars 1 Are they slight 347 2 Hypocritical 3 Forced 10 Doest thou draw back in Religion ibid 11 Doth God for the present curse thy portion ibid 12 Doth God convince thee of what stops the current of his mercy ibid 13. He spends his daies without fear of being put off with the things of this world 348 6 Exhortation 1 To those that have evidences of a better portion 349 1 Bless God for it 349 2 Be content with it ibid 3 Envy not wicked men ib. 4 Mind higher and better things 350 2 To all to put on for another Portion 351 Motive 1 Ye are capable of it 352 2 Ye are in a fair way for it ib Means 1 Be stir'd with the fear of God 353 2 Take off your hearts from outward comforts ibid 3 Set the glory of Heaven and Eternity before your eyes 354 4 Honor God with your substance here ibid 5 Let your services be choice services 356 6 Be willing to cast away what you have sinfully got ibid 7 Be willing to joyn with those that suffer for God 358 Conclusion ibid READER Thou hast here the Names of the Books that are lately published of Mr. Jeremiah Burroughs As also the Texts of Scripture upon which they are grounded VIZ. 1. An Exposition with Practical Observations on the 4 5 6 7. Chapters of HOSEA 2. A Treatise of EARTHLY MINDEDNES Wherein is shewed 1. What Earthly-mindedness is 2. The great evil thereof on Phil. 3. part of the 19. verse Also to the same Book is joyned a Treatise of Heavenly-mindedness and walking with God on Gen. 5. 24. And on Phil. 3. 20. 3. The rare JEWEL of Christian CONTENTMENT on Phil. 4. 11. Wherein is shewed 1. What Contentment is 2. It is an holy Art and Mysterie 3. The Excellencies of it 4. The evil of the contrary sin of Murmuring and the Agravations of it 4. GOSPEL-WORSHIP on Levit. 10. 3. Wherein is shewed 1. The right manner of the Worship of God in general 2. And particularly in Hearing the Word Receiving the Lords Supper And Prayer 5. GOSPEL-CONVERSATION on Philip. 1. 27. Wherein is shewed 1. That the Conversation of Beleevers must be above what could be by the light of Nature 2. Beyond those that lived under the Law 3. And sutable to what Truths the Gospel holds forth To which is added The Misery of those Men that have their Portion in this Life only on Psal 17. 14. All which are published by Thomas Goodwin Sydrach Simpson William Greenhil William Bridge John Yates William Adderly All printed by Peter Cole at the Printing-Press in Cornhil at the Royal Exchange in LONDON GOSPEL Conversation PHILIPPIANS 1. 27. Only let your Conversation be as becometh the Gospel of Christ THE Apostle in the 23. verse of this Chapter we find to be in a straight what to do whether to be willing to live or to die for his own inclination or desire it was rather to die because then he should be with Christ which was best of all A notable Scripture to prove the Immortallity of the soul For if so be the soul did die with the body it
the joy of the holy Ghost means till it comes under the kingdom of Jesus Christ it 's the priviledge of the kingdom of Christ to bring spiritual peace which passeth all understanding and joy in the holy Ghost Ninthly This is a priviledg in the kingdom of Christ That all that are in His Kingdom have right to all the gifts and graces of all the Saints in the world Whether Paul or Apollos or Cephus or Life or Death all is yours for you are Christs and Christ is Gods They have I say right to all all the gifts of all the Ministers of the world and the graces of all the Saints they work for good unto them Tenthly and lastly They are all Heirs of Christ with an immortal Crown of glory that is laid upon Heaven for them Thus Christs Kingdom is not of this world the priviledges of it are beyond the worlds which can only be seen by the eye of faith for they are spiritual and glorious priviledges Quest If you ask me why it is that God the Father would not have His Son to have his kingdom in this world Certainly God might have given to Christ all the Government of this world might have made Him the great Emperor to have rul'd in an external way and all His Subjects to have been in pomp and glory here below but God would not have the kingdom of His Son here in this world for these reasons Ans First Because that hereby He would confound the wisdom of the world and shew the vanity of all the things of this present world and the folly of the hearts of men that are set upon the things of this world we look upon these things as great things but God hath shewed that he doth not look upon them as great matters but as things that have little value and excellency in them and therfore He would not have His Son to have His kingdom here of this world surely if there were such excellent things here as men dream of then undoubtedly Christ should have had His Kingdom of this world but that God might confound all the glory and non-plus the wisdom of this world therefore he would go another way to work God would so order things that He would fetch about the glory of his Name and those great things that he did intend from all eternity He would fetch them about in a way that should be hidden from the eyes of the world in a way that should appear contemptible in the eyes of the world and he would by this rebuke and shame all the pride folly and vanity of the world there is no greater rebuke of the pride folly and vanity of the world than in my Text here that saith The Kingdom of Jesus Christ is not of this world Secondly Because the Lord delights so much in the exercise of the graces of His Spirit the spiritual workings of the hearts of His Saints there 's nothing that is ab extra from God that is more delightful to Him than the exercises of the graces of His Spirit in the hearts of His Saints excepting what is in the Person of Christ himself nothing more pleasing in all the works that ever God made in which He takes more pleasure than in the exercise of faith and of humility and of patience and the like and the holiness of His Saints Now the less the Kingdom of Christ is of the world the more bright and glorious do the graces of the Saints appear the more do they come to be exercised had the Saints a worldly glory and pomp here their graces would not shine forth so eminent there would not be such a spiritual lustre and shine upon them but now that God may exercise especially the grace of faith and humility and patience and self-denial and brotherly love which are so precious to Him therefore God hath so ordered things that the Kingdom of His Son should not be of this world but it should be spiritual it may be you think it a sad affliction that you have not those comforts that you see others have in the world you have not such estates and bravery as others have brave dwellings costly furnitures and fine cloaths as others have and you cannot provide for your children as they do I but is there the exercise of faith in God in the want of these things the exercise of humility self-denial of patience know that these are more glorious things than if thou didst sit upon a Throne with a Crown of gold upon thy head and a Scepter in thy hand and al the people prostrating themselves before thee this were all but a childish vanity in comparison of the exercise of the graces of Gods Spirit thou hast that that is more excellent in the eyes of God and of His Son and in the eyes of the blessed Angels far more excel lent than these outward pompous glorious glittering vanities that are here when thou findest by experience that the Kingdom of Christ is not of this world Oh then think that surely God delights much in the exercise of the graces of His Spirit in His Saints And this is the reason why he would not have the kingdom of Christ to be of this world Thirdly and lastly Therefore He would not have it to be of this world that hereafter when the Lord shall come to fetch out all his glory from those things that seem to be the most contrary that his power and wisdom may be more glorious and appear more evidently that his glory may be more conspicuous as certainly it will hereafter at the great Day when the issue of all the great designs that God had in sending of Christ into the world when the issue of all shall come and be accomplisht then the Name of God will be so much the more honorable to all eternity because He hath wrought out such glorious things from that which did seem to the eye of flesh to be so mean and contemptible APPLICATION But by way of Application and that shall be built upon the consideration of the point more generally and upon the Reasons that are named why the Kingdom of Christ is not of this world From hence follow thus much in the first place That if the Kingdom of Christ be not of this world then there is a happiness beyond the things of this world to be had that we must certainly conclude and determin If we beleeve this point That Christ Kingdom is not of this world we must lay down this for a certain and infalible ground that we may build upon That there is a happiness to be attained unto that is beyond this world for surely there is a good in the of Christ there is somewhat beyond this world for the souls of the children of men to look after as their cheef good as their happiness that 's a confectory that follows from it The Kingdom of Christ whatsoever it be it 's a glorious Kingdom it is the Kingdom of
certainly Apostatize if their hearts take deep root in the earth If you find your spirits so glewed to the things of the world that you know not how to part with them that you know not how to live in a place and not to have your neighbors love and respect and to honor you and to have the countenance of the times in which you live Do you find your hearts thus cleaving to the things of the world like the Serpent that dust you eat and upon your belly you go Know that thou hast a worldly heart thou art like to be an Apostate from the Truth of God ere long In the 2. of Titus 12. the Apostle saith That the grace of God that hath appeared to all men teaches them to deny all worldly lusts Oh my brethren let 's labor to walk worthy of our Calling into the Kingdom of Jesus Christ 1 Thess 2. 12. There the Apostle with a great deal of earnestness speaks to the Thessalonians exhorting them that they would Walk worthy of God who hath called them into his Kingdom and Glory Are you converted to Christ you are called into this Kingdom walk worthy of Him And mark his earnestness in the verse before As you know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you as a father doth his children We comforted you in shewing you the excellency of the Kingdom of God and the Priviledges of this Kingdom we exhorted you and we charged every one of you as a father doth his children And what did he exhort and charge them to it was this That they would walk worthy of God who had called them into his Kingdom and his glory Oh! 't is a great mercy that God hath revealed any thing of the Kingdom of his Son unto you walk worthy of it as it becomes those that are called to be the Subjects of such a glorious Kingdom as this is and above all things have a care and let me warn you of this worldliness in the hearts of the Saints Namely of a crafty cunning subtilness in the things of this life there is nothing more unbeseeming a Christian than a crafty cunning subtilness for the world many men bless themselves in this and they take abundance of content to think that by their craft and cunning sophistry they can fetch about things circumvent others so provide for themselves in this world I say there is nothing more unbeseeming a Christian than to be crafty and cunning in circumventing others and providing for themselves in the matters of this world In 1. Cor. 2. 12. saith the Apostle We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit which is of God it is that we have received There is many men you may plainly see that they have the spirit of the world that 's thus I have many times wondered at it some men come and speak to them about any matters of the Kingdom of Christ they speak so foolishly and childishly either they must hold their peace and say nothing or else if they do speak they discover so much ignorance and childishness that a man would wonder where the understandings of such men are that have liv'd so long a time in the world as they have done and heard so much of Religion and when one hears them speak so one would wonder how these men should have understanding to live in the world but now these in the businesses of the world they are as worldly politick no man can out go them there they can foresee all kind of dangers in any miscarriage and can judge of twenty things together in their thoughts and compare one thing with another see further into the world than other men so that a man would wonder sometimes I say when one hears them speaking of Religion whether these men have any wit or understanding but when one follows them in the things of the world you shall see them as witty as understanding as judicious and as cunning as any men almost can be they have received the spirit of the world and they are led by the spirit of the world the god of this world hath taken possession of them and it 's that that makes them so but they have not received the Spirit of Jesus Christ they may say quite contrary to the Apostle saith the Apostle we have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit of Jesus Christ they may say we have not received the Spirit of Christ but of the world it 's true Christ would have us so long as we live in the world to be as wise as serpents yet innocent as doves the wisdom that is for the promotion of the Kingdom of Christ it is a wisdom that hath an upright plainess in it and is according to the simplicity of the Gospel indeed when they have to deal with wicked men they may exercise a natural wisdom to avoid the dangers of persecution or to avoid the circumventing of wicked men but when they have to deal with spiritual things there the wisdom is that that holds forth a simplicity of the Gospel that is carried on with plainess and simpleness of heart The Hebrews have the same word that signifies a naked man and a cunning subtil man You shall find where it 's said of Adam and Eve they were naked nakedness of spirit and subtilty may stand together they signifie the same thing to shew what kind of subtilty should be in those that are the People of God it should be that that may stand with a naked spirit so as if God would discover the secrets of all their hearts to all the children of men that they should not be ashamed to have all their secrets to be opened to them But now the cunningness that is the cunningness of the serpent is such a cunningness as men if they were but laid open would quickly be ashamed of And so much of the fourth use that it is unbeseeming those that are of the kingdom of Christ to have the spirit of the world because Christs kingdom is not of this world 5. Vse Hence we see the reason of the meanness of the outward condition of the people of God in this world why is it that Christ hath so ordered things that the people of God should be so outwardly poor in this world My Kingdom is not of this world saith Christ Therefore why should any that come under my kingdom look for great things in this world they must look to have their comfort and glory in things that concern my Kingdom and not in the things of this world in Psal 73. 12. Behold those that are ungodly prosper in this world saith the Scripture As for men that are godly and come under the Kingdom of Christ they must look for a prosperity that is beyond this world God gives the earth to the children of men and to the men of the world Let them prosper saith God here 's their portion here 's
be merciful to them in the world to come now this is a certain truth that man to whom God denies Spiritual mercies in this world God will deny Eternal mercy to him in the world to come this therefore should be thy care Doth God encrease my estate in this world Oh that the Lord would give a proportionable measure of grace too else it is nothing Lord thou givest me here a great estate if thou givest not to me grace with it a proportionable measure of grace to use it to thy glory I had better have been without this Is this thy care I put it to thy conscience As thy estate encreases art thou solicitious at the Throne of grace that the Lord would give thee a proportionable measure of grace to mannage thy estate for His glory then peace be to thee thou art not the man And then further you may examin it 2. By the working of your hearts about your present Portions As first 1. Whether you enjoy what you have for it self and whether your hearts be terminated in what you do enjoy One that is godly and hath his Portion beyond these things he enjoyes the Creature I but it is God in it he enjoyes It is sweet to me that I can see and tast the love of God in it I but a carnal heart enjoys the creatures and runs away and is terminated there looks at the Creature but at little in God as divers of your Hospital Children here look more at the Men that were their friends to bring them into the Hospital when they were Fatherless and Motherless and Sisterless than they look at the Founders of the Hospital they little think of them to thank God for them but if they meet with him that was the next cause to bring them in they will thank him for his kindness So it is with men they look at that Creature that was the first means of bringing them in but a godly heart looks at the root of all I remember it is said of one that came into the Treasuries of Venice he saw tables of Gold and Silver there and he points down and looks at the bottom of the table and one asked him Why is your eye so at the bottom Oh saith he I am looking at the root of all this Oh! alas it is a small matter for a man that hath a great Trade to have a great Portion So many men look not so much at the Root whereas a godly man though he hath but a little yet he looks at the Root at the love of God and the Covenant of grace that is the Root of all and this is the thing that satisfies his heart When a man takes a portion of physick he puts it into the Posset-ale the Posset-ale is not the thing that makes the Physick work though it is that that is the greater part but it is the Physick in it So it is the goodness of God that satisfies a gracious heart and not the Creature that is operative so much upon a gracious heart and then you may examine how your hearts are set upon these things of the world 2. Whether your hearts go out with full strength to them If you make your bellies to be your god then your end will be destruction as the Apostle speaks That man that hath his heart swallowed up in the earth like Corah Dathan and Abiram that were swallowed up in the earth if the things of the earth be a gulf to swallow thy heart up there is another gulf to swallow thee up hereafter 3. How do the loss of the things of the world take thy heart Dost not thou count thy self an undone man when thou hast lost some comforts Dost not thou come home to thy wife and children and say I am an undone man Why what 's the matter I have lost some part of my estate O carnal heart one that is gracious may have some crosses but no losses at all because he enjoyes all in God he hath God to make up all his losses And the truth is if thou wert truly godly whatsoever afflictions thou meetest withal as we say a man may put all in his eye so you may if you be godly put all your crosses in your eyes you are so far from being undone And further examin 4. Whether these things of the world be not the only sutable things to your hearts whether you bless not your selves in these as in your happiness The Ivie will clasp about a rotten tree and cannot be taken off it without tearing And so the heart of a worldling will clasp about these rotten-comforts as the only agreeable thing You may hear them sometimes tell with joy That we were in such a place and we were so merry and had the bravest meeting And what was there Why there was singing and roaring and blaspheming of the Name of God and yet it was the bravest meeting that could be When did you ever come from an Ordinance of God and say Oh! it was a brave day to me the Lord hath spoken to my heart this day Did you never go from the Word with as merry a heart and can rejoyce for it amongst your friends as you did from a merry meeting You may fear you are the man that have your portion here And then this is more cleer for every one to examin his heart in and if I were to give but any one Evidence whether a man hath Grace or no I would give this assoon as any one A man that hath got some estate in the world I put this to him 5. What dost thou account to be the chiefest good of thy estate more than thou hadst before or more than another man hath A man that hath got an estate more than he had or more than his brother there are many good things in his estate that he will think good Now I may live in better fashion than I could before now I may have more freedom than I had before now I may have more credit in the world than I had before now I may have my own mind and satisfie my own lusts more than I had before or than another man can do Is not this the thing thou most rejoycest in yea is not this a truth that some of your hearts if they were ripped up this would be the language of them that you must rejoyce in your estates because by them you have fuel for your lusts A poor man hath not so much fuel for his uncleanness as you have nor so much fuel for his lust of pride and malice as you have and many rich men account the blessing the good and happiness of their estates to consist in this very thing that now they may have a larger scope for their lusts than ever they could before alas a poor man cannot go abroad and drink as you can do a poor man cannot lay out so much money on a Whore an Unclean wretch as you can do and you rejoyce in
21 Institution is the rule of Worship 141 Justice Gods Justice is no loser by His Mercy 74 K King Wherein the Kings of the earth ar not like Christ 137 See Christ Subjects Kingdom Christs Kingdom is not of this world 116 Why Christs Kingdom is not of this world 157 When the Kingdoms of this world shall be submitted to Christ 150 See Dependance L Latimer Latimers story 339 Law The Law of God goes higher than the light of Nature and how 41 The Law considered under two Considerations 42 The Law given to Adam what it was 43 Difference between the Law of Adam and the Law given by Moses 47 Difference between the Law given by Moses and the Gospel ibid They under the Law had somthing of the Gospel ibid See Gospel Christ Worship and Beleevers Leturgie True Leturgie what it is 355 Liberty see Conscience Light of Nature see Nature Life see Spirit Looseness see profession Love The love of God is more to men than to Angels 53 The love of God should work an answerable love in us 54 See Testimony Christ Lusts see Flesh Luther Luthers opinion of the Turkish Empire 306 Luthers's Protestation 334 M Magistrates How Magistrates are helpful to the Church 140 Malice Malice is unbeseeming the Gospel 58 Man see World Mercy Mercy must be real not verbal 71 Gods infinit mercy 286 Gods Mercy undervalued by worldly men ibid See Transcendant Christ Bowels Ministers Ministers of the Gospel what they are 4 Ministers ought to rule over none but those they teach 30 Ministers should be eminent in their Conversations every way ibid Ministers Charge over soules 88 Mixture What mixture is in worldly portions 336 Monsters Hard-hearted Christians are monsters 71 Moses see Law N Nature Light of Nature its extent 33 Difference between the light of Nature before the fall and since 41 Light of Nature shews something of the mercie of God 69 Necessity see Faith O Obedience The Obedience of a Beleever is of an higher nature than Adams in his innocency 44 Observing Observing daies forbidden 98 Old see Customs Opinions What Opinions are not to be tollerated 327 Opposed World opposed to Saints 272 Overseeing see Visitation P Papists Papists reproved 287 Parliament The PARLIAMENT defended 324 Partition The partition wall between Jew and Gentile taken down 66 Peace We should love peace 65 Peace with our Brethren what it should be 68 Difference between the worlds peace and Christs 155 Why men should have peace upon any terms 323 See God and Seek People Why Gods People are mean in this world 277 Perfection Perfection comes by suffering 279 Persecution Persecution unlawful 283 Persecution opposed 326 Pope A mortal choice of Popes 328 Portion Why wicked men have a portion 304 The worlds portion described 329 Rules to know who hath his portion only in this life 341 See Excellency Power What the power of the Gospel is 123 Prelates Prelates reproved 287 Priviledges Priviledges of the Saints 152 Profession The reason why some mens profession vanisheth 14 Loosness of profession what mischief it doth 16 The miseries attending a loose profession 18 Why forward professors turn persecutors 19 See Eyes Promises Difference between the promises of the Gospel and Adams promises 45 R Reason We are not to live altogether according to reason 67 Reason discovers some sin 80 Reconciliation Reconciliation to God 65 Rebels How the Saints are Rebells 280 Redemption What the Redemption of a soul is 86 Religion Religion comes to nothing without consideration of the duties of relation 25 Why Religion is so little regarded by great ones 319 See Honor Weapons Repentance Repentance is a mighty work 87 Repentance is out of our power 85 Root see Christ S Saints The Saints shall condemn the world 12 The Saints may come to the Throne of grace with boldness 50 The Saints shall judge the world 272 See Rebels Difference Seek Seek for peace 66 Self-denial see Christ Selvishness Selvishness unbeseeming a Saint 94 Schism What Schism is 108 Services Gods services are choice services 356 Sin Sin harboured in thought produceth sinful actions 29 No sin is little 82 The wages of sin is death ib. See Hatred Beginings Socrates Socrates his rebuke 331 Soul Souls Immortallity proved 1 Souls pawn'd to the Devil 86 See Worth Redemption Strength Strength drawn from Christ 45 Strive We must strive together not asunder 105 Spirit The life of the Spirit what it is 102 Subjects Difference between Christs subjects and the subjects of other Kings 138 Suffering see Perfection T Temptations Particular temptations must be looked to 27 Tenure The tenure men hold the world by 335 Testimonies Testimonies of Gods love to us 55 Testimonies of our love to God 56 Time The time sanctifies the duty 99 Transcendent The mercies of God are transcendent 69 Tribulation We have Companions in Tribulation 278 Turkish Empire see Luther U Unity Unity of the Saints 105 Visitation Visitation of the wicked what it is 10 W Wanton Wanton Conversation becomes not the Gospel 71 Well-doing Well-doing stops the mouthes of wicked men 11 Well-doing converts men ibid Weapons Carnal weapons not to be used in defence of Religion 145 Wicked Wicked men do something for God 305 See Portion Wickedness Wickedness is unbeseeming Professors 128 The wickednesse of the world 281 Works Our good works should shine before men 8 Difference between doing of good works that may be seen and doing good works that they may be seen ibid Women Women-Preachers in what sense lawful 9 Worship We must set up the Worship of God in our families 56 The worship of the world is carnal 96 God will have as much worship under the Gospel as under the Law ibid What worship becomes the Gospel 100 See Institution Worth The worth of the soul 85 World How to know a man of this world 263 See Peace Opposed Saints People Portion Worldly Why worldly men are cunning 118 Worldly men see Difference Worldly portion see Mixture Wronged We must seek peace of those that have wronged us 67 FINIS March 2. 1645. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 March 15. 1645 March â—2 1645 April 12 1646. 1. Pet. 2. 13. Humanae creationae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Preached on Easter Munday April 3. 1643. before Isaac Penington then Lord Major of London Mol. in Psal Doct. 1. Doct. 2.
in all their dealings in their dealing with God in their dealings between man and man To see one that professeth the Gospel sometimes accounts the feet of those beautiful that bring glad tydings of salvation yet unjust in his dealings so as do but follow him in his course between man and man there he makes no conscience of justice there he will rather break the rule of justice than it may be he will lose six pence or a shilling what if it were the losing of thirty or fourty pounds is it such a thing that the rule of justice must rather be broken than the loss of a little mony Is this as becomes the Gospel when as thou hearest the Gospel say that rather than the glory of justice shall be darkned the Blood of his Son must go for it and God expects that Christians should be so in love with justice that they should rather be content to be undone in their estates to beg their bread from door to door than be unjust in any of their actions Oh 't is an exceeding ecclipsing of the glory of the Word when Professors of it shall be false in their dealings Oh remember thou Christian who holdest up the Gospel with thy right hand that when thou hearest of the death of Christ there the love that God bears to justice is held forth and God is set upon the honor of justice and he wil have it thy justice in thy trading this must be made up one way or other either thou must pay eternally for it and so justice made up or else it must cost the Blood of Jesus Christ God is set upon justice in another manner than you think of Oh let your Conversations be as becometh this truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ Fifthly That the Lord in the Gospel shews how he is set upon satisfying the Law and what a high price he puts upon the Law The excellency of the Law doth more cleerly appear in the Gospel than in the Doctrine of the Law its self as thus Christ came to fulfil all righteousness surely God set a high price of his Law that he would not save any soul living that had broken it but by his Son that must come to fulfil it first He must have all righteousness kept to the end that he might manifest his love unto his Law I say therefore it was that Christ must come and subject himself to the Law he must be under the Law It was from thence that Christ saith It becomes us to fulfil all righteousness So was God set upon his Law that when Christ did undertake for man-kind if Christ had not satisfied every part of the Law that was required if there had been one jot of the Law unfilfilled all man-kind must have perished in everlasting burnings God sets an high rate on his Royal Law therefore learn to prize the Law of God It 's true you cannot keep it for justification that was Christs task so to keep the Law that he might justifie sinners God by this teaches us to esteem highly of it and not to slight it and contemn it the Law of God it is a precious Cristal glass it is the very glass of the holiness and righteousness of God and you must prize it as you do prize your great glasses that your Marriners have from other parts you bring home your great Cristals of 20. or 40. or threescore pounds according to the largenesse of them Now would not you take it extream ill when you have bestowed so much upon it that a child or servant should come and break it al to pieces Now my brethren consider The Law of God here resembles the Cristal glasse and as in your glasses you may see your faces so in that Cristal glasse of the Law the holiness of God is transparent 't is such a glass that God prizes it more worth than all the world this is visible for the Lord stands much upon the observing of the Law and upon obedience unto it and therfore take heed of breaking it meerly to satisfie your lusts to accommodate and befriend your own base ends this is unbeseeming the Gospel of Christ There are many that make a great noise about Evangelical truths so that they cry up the Gospel of Christ the Gospel of Christ as they once did the Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord and they think that this doth wholly take away their obedience to the Law of God and that it must not be so much as a rule of life Certainly there 's nothing holde forth the excellency of the Law more than the knowledge of Jesus Christ the only Law-giver being subjected to the Law and his subjection it was to take away our guiltinesse to cancel the bond of the Law binding us to eternal death But we never reade that this subjection to the Law was to make void our obedience to it so that it should not be any rule of life unto us for indeed what is the Law of God but the pure Will of God and do you think that Christ came to take us away from obeying the Will of God which was Christs meat and drink to do I stand not so much upon that term Whether as given by Moses but upon those things that are therein contained therein revealed as part of the will of God God stands much upon that that we should make the revealing of these things in the Word to be the rule of our life and this is manifested by Christs ready and full subjection unto it And that is the first particular what it is that we come to know by the Gospel according to which we should sute our Conversations SERMON V. PHIL. 1. 27. Only let your Conversation be as becomes the Gospel of Christ IN the sixt place Would you know what Conversation becomes the Gospel Consider what it is that the Gospel holds out to you It holds forth Gods infinit hatred of sin more than any other thing whatsoever 1. A man may come to know the evil of sin partly by Reason he may understand that sin it is against a right rule yea by the light of reason he may conceive it is but reasonable for a rational creature to live by rule and to transgress against the rule of justice and equity is evil 2. A man may come to know the evil of sin by Gods Command the Law of God forbids sin and therefore it is evil certainly to transgress the Law of God to go against the Will of God must needs be a great transgression 3. A man may come to know the evil of sin by the Dreadful Threatnings that are added to the Law Cursed is he that abideth not in every thing that is written in the Book of the Law to do it This discovers a dreadful evil in sin when a soul comes to have a real sight of the dreadful threats that are in the Law it doth exceedingly terrifie conscience and raise up that sleepy Lyon
gallows All the world was to him no otherwise was a thing crucified to him and he was crucified to the world the world cares not for me and I care not for the world I am quit with it that way and do as much slight and contemn the world and trample it under foot as the world slights and contemns me and tramples me under foot This should be the disposition of a Christian that is under the kingdom of Christ for now it is to converse with things of another nature And therefore you find that Christ He saith of those that are given to Him by the Father They are given unto Him out of the world John 17. 6. I have manifested thy Name to the men whom thou hast given me out of the world No men have Christ manifested unto them but those whom the Father doth give Him out of the world Saith the Father Here 's so many of the world And there are a select company that I wil take out of this rude heap and mass of man-kind and I 'le give them to thee Take them and manifest thy self unto them If this be so that those that come under Christ's Kingdom are given unto Him out of the world then though they live in the world they should not live as of the world Secondly They are chosen out of the world John 15. 19. And they are delivered from the world by Christ Gal. 1. 4. And they are opposed to the children of the world Luke 16. 8 speaking of divers sorts of people and makes the distinction between one and another The Lord commended the unjust steward because he had done wisely For the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light These two are opposed one to another the children of this world and the children of light are quite contrary one to another for indeed one is in the kingdom of darkness and the other in the Kingdom of light in the Kingdom of the dear Son of God you must be children of light others are children of the world it becomes a child of the world to follow after the things of the world but not the children of light You are chosen out of the world that you may be the light of the world So the Scripture speaks of the Saints That they should be the light of the world Philippians 2. 15. Now if they have as worldly hearts as others how can they be the lights of the world Oh! many that are Professors of Religion they are indeed but dark lanthorns they have a candle in them have some kind of knowledg but by their worldly Conversations they are made but as dark lanthorns that the light of knowledg and profession that they have is so darkned by it as none can see the beauty and excellency of Jesus Christ shining through them Thirdly Surely it is a very unbeseeming disposition in one that is under the Kingdom of Christ to be worldly for he is appointed to be one that shall judge the world another day In 1 Cor. 6. 2. The Saints shall judge the world Now there should be a great deal of difference between Judges and those that are judged by them if they be of the same disposition that the world is why should any be chosen out of the world to judge them Now all the Saints if they do beleeve themselves to be brought into the Kingdom of Christ they should look upon themselves as those that are appointed by God hereafter to judge the whol world and therefore they should not live so as the men of the world do but as Judges very precisely and strictly according to rule 4 ly It is required of them that they should hate their own lives in this world John 12. 15. Now if the Saints should be such as should see so much excellency in the Kingdom of Christ as to hate their very lives in this world then surely to look upon all things in this world as contemptible as hateful in comparison it is not meant Hate their lives that is Absolutely but in Comparison when any comfort or preservation of their lives in this world comes in the least competition with the furtherance of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ They should look upon the comforts of their lives as a hateful thing and look upon the very preservation of their lives as a hateful thing shall I make my life comfortable with any hindrance unto the Kingdom of Christ Oh 't is that that my soul should abhor and so should I preserve my life with doing any thing that may be any prejudice to the Kingdom of Christ I should look upon the very suggestion to such a thing as that that my very soul doth abhor And we find in Scripture that it 's made an argument of apostasie of one that 's falling off from the profession of Christ to imbrace the world as it is said of Demas in the 2 of Tim. 4. 10. Demas saith Paul hath forsaken me but what is it that hath made Demas to forsake me he hath imbraced this present world So look upon many of your Professors of Religion such vs have been very forward in former times and Oh nothing but Christ in their mouthes they afterward begin to decline and wax worser and worser but observe them they imbrace this present world it is because of some honors and esteem some comforts riches estates that they would have or live at ease in this present world they cannot endure the hatred of the world So it was with Demas when he began to hear Paul he perceived that it was a great excellency to be one of Pauls followers Paul he wrought miracles and Demas I say thought it an excellent thing to follow Paul but after he had followed Paul a while he found that he was persecuted and he saw there was no preferment came in by Pauls preaching nothing but blows and imprisonments and scorns and contempt then Demas begins to bethink himself better and thinks he was mistaken I had thought that this Paul would have been a great man in the world one day and that by my following of him I should get great matters to my self but when he saw that all men were set against Paul and nothing but persecution was like to betide him and his Disciples Demas begins to bethink himself And is it not better for me to keep my credit and esteem in this world so Demas leaves him to shift for himself and therefore saith the Apostle Demas hath forsaken me and imbraced this present world This may be written upon every Apostates grave Here lies an Apostate that hath forsaken Jesus Christ and hath imbraced this present world But observe it and look upon those that were forward in Religion and now are not and see whether they have not more worldly hearts than before and give themselves up to honors and pleasures and profits Therefore it 's exceeding unbeseeming the Saints to have worldly hearts they will